Pakistan’s election body postpones Punjab polls to Oct

Pakistan’s top election body has delayed assembly polls in the politically crucial Punjab province by more than five months, citing deteriorating security situation in the cash-starved country, a move criticised by former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman Imran Khan. In a late-night order issued on Wednesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said that after considering the reports, briefing and material brought before the commission, it has concluded that it is impossible to hold and organise the elections — originally scheduled for April 30 — ”honestly, justly, fairly, in a peaceful manner and in accordance with the Constitution and law”. The ECP said that it ”hereby withdraws the election programme and fresh schedule will be issued in due course of time with poll date on October 8.” The assemblies in Punjab and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces were dissolved on January 14 and 18 respectively by the erstwhile governments of Khan’s party. The ECP said the decision was taken after briefing of the government and different departments and intelligence agencies informed that ”the law and order situation in the country don’t permit to hold elections at any province at this point of time.” According to the ECP, it contacted the interior and finance ministries for a meeting on March 9, where the special secretary of interior had said that ”free, fair and peaceful elections are not possible due to deteriorating law and order situation, charged political environment and serious threats to political leaders.” The finance secretary had cited a paucity of funds and the ongoing financial crunch as a reason for a lack of funds for the elections. The ECP said that several senior-level members of the security agencies, including the police and the defence minister, and the federal government had recommended delaying the elections.